...By Larry John for TDPel Media.
On Wednesday, Mayor Sadiq Khan unveiled a memorial plaque in memory of over 100 transport workers who lost their lives due to COVID-19.
The workers who lost their lives include those who were working for Transport for London, the capital’s bus companies that operate TfL routes or as black taxi or minicab drivers, between March 2020 and October 2021.
A study conducted by City Hall in 2021 revealed that London bus drivers were three times more likely to die from COVID-19 than the wider UK population, and there were concerns that insufficient measures were taken to protect them from the virus.
The transport workers’ memorial has been installed on a pedestrian square in Braham Street, Aldgate, alongside benches and plants, including a Foxglove tree, providing a space for “quiet reflection and remembrance.
” The memorial garden is in addition to a memorial garden opened in the Olympic park in 2021, paying tribute to the Londoners who died in the pandemic.
Sadiq Khan and Andy Lord, Transport for London Commissioner, paid tribute to the transport workers who helped to keep the capital moving during the lockdowns.
They expressed their gratitude to the workers, who continued to work even when the virus was claiming hundreds of lives a week.
Khan said that the memorial would stand as a reminder of the debt owed to the workers for their sacrifice, adding that they persevered and helped the nation to prevail.
Lord stated that the memorial pays tribute to the colleagues who played a critical part in keeping London moving throughout the pandemic and helped save many lives.
Commentary:
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a tremendous toll on people worldwide, and frontline workers have paid the ultimate price.
The memorial plaque erected by Mayor Sadiq Khan honours the sacrifices of over 100 transport workers who lost their lives due to COVID-19.
The memorial is an important reminder of the risks that transport workers faced in keeping the city moving during the pandemic.
The plaque also serves as a tribute to the commitment and bravery of the workers who continued to work, even when the virus was claiming hundreds of lives a week.
The memorial will provide a space for quiet reflection and remembrance and ensure that the memory of those who lost their lives is never forgotten.
